The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-29

not their duty to hasten to our aid?
There was but one other sail in sight,
and she was well up the Gulf. The
pirates had clear coast and hapless
victim, and they cracked on all sail.
They had scarcely been seen before
the Yankee mate recognized the identi-
Gal dhows of the day previous, and
after that we had no fears of making a
mistake. Our whole crew entered into
the scheme with a will. While we did
not beat to quarters, every gun was
made ready. ammunition passed up
and long before the dhows were up we
had every preparation made. Two
thirds of the men were kept in shelter
behind the bulwarks, and the pirates
could see nothing to arouse suspicion.
THE piratical crafts came along in a
bunch. They were of about the same
size and burden, and each carried fully
forty men. When they had come down
within cannon shot they separated, hav-
ing probably planned to lay us aboard
stem and stern. but our Captain did not
propose to let it 90 that far. While he
could have no doubt of our ability to
clean out the scoundrelly gang, he re-
allied that a hundred determined fell
lows dumped upon our decks with
pistols and cutlasses meant death and
wounds to some of our crew. Just as
the dhows separated our ports were
knocked open, the guns run out, and
next moment we were giving it to them
hot and heavy. The fellows could not
have been more surprised had :he sea
suddenly opened to swallow them up.
Each of the dhOws had couple of can-
non on deck, but there was no thought
of using them. The knowledge that
they had caught a Tartar seemed to
unnerve them and the first dhow b ad
gone down before either of the other
two seemed to think of escape. Tlen
it was too late. Our shot went ri ght
through them and left terrible gaps for
the sea to pour in, and in just seven
minutes by the watch from the firing of
the first gun we got the order to cease
firing.
''One dhow was at the bottom, the
second with her rail awash, anu the
third was on her beam end and slowly
turning turtle. The survivors of our
cannonade were floating about on
pieces of the wreckage, but by the time
we had lowered our boats and picked
pseven the rest had been pulled under
by the sharks, which came to the feast
in great school. Among those res
cued were the captains of two of the
dhows. Seven worse looking villains
than those We picked up were never
seen in or out of prison. They were
defiant lot, too. Having recovered
from their shock of surprise, and CON-
pretending that trick had been played
on them, they fought US even as we
rescued them from the sharks. No
matter how bad gang you get hold
of, on sea or land, some one of them
will be ready to turn nose to save his
neck. 1t was so in this case. Six of
them refused to answer question con-
corning the American brig, but the
seventh was willing to tell all if it
would save him from the yard-arm.
He said that every one of the crew had
been made away with, and that the
brig was then lying in the bay spoken
Of They were intending to plumber.
dismantle and scuttle her, but had not
yet begun the work, having espied the
Spitfre and come out to investigate her.
He gave the number of men aboard the
three dhows at ITO.
''In those days the Captain Of one of
her Majesty's vessels on foreign
station. or might say, on barbarous
coast, had things much his own way.
Breakfast was only over when our Cap
tain ordered whips at the yardarms, and
informed the six pirates that their time
had come. Not a man of them even
changed countenance, while each ut
tered the word 'Kismet'-itis fate. Each
man went to his death as calmly as if it
was an everyday affair, and the in
former gazed upon the spectacle with
as little concern as you please. When
the necks of the six were we'll stretched
the bodies were lowered and sent to
sharks. Then we spruced up n bit,
headed in for the bay, and by mid-after-
noon were alongside the brig. She was
anchored within pistol shot of the shore,
and nine or ten villainous Arabs made
their escape from her before we had
come up.
The sights aboard that brig have
always haunted me. There were stains
of blood all over her decks, proving
that the crew had fought gallant
fight, and in the cabin were the CORY
heads of two of the sailors. At the
foot of the companion was bloody
hand, and near the scuttle butt was
another. / believe three or four of the
briggs crew surrendered, and were de-
liberately tortured to death. Our Cap
tain had agreed TO spare the informer's
life, and when ready to 60 the Arab
was ordered overheard. 1t was only
fair swim to shore, and he did not need
to be told twice. He made a dive off
the rail, came up like a duck, and then
headed for the beach with an easy
stroke. He had gone about fifty yards
when dozen of our crew called out in
chorus. We saw two or three black
fins cutting the water. CLEAN of white
at the surface, and the swimmer was
Cone.-N 7. Sun.
Flat Chests in Society.